“Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. Follow me.”
Matthew 4:19; Mark 1:17
Read this saying in the chronological reader →Words of Jesus by topic
What did Jesus say about discipleship?
Jesus’ calls to discipleship range from two words—“Follow me”—to demanding teachings about self-denial, loyalty, endurance, love, and fruitfulness. The sayings resist reducing discipleship to a single decision; they describe an ongoing way of life.
At a glance
- The first call is personal and active: follow Jesus.
- Following includes self-denial and taking up the cross, not merely admiration.
- Jesus connects true discipleship with continuing in his word.
- Luke 14 stresses counting the cost rather than beginning casually.
- John connects discipleship with love, abiding, obedience, and fruit.
Follow me
The early calling scenes are strikingly direct. Jesus calls people out of ordinary work and into a new vocation shaped around himself.
Deny yourself and take up the cross
After Peter’s confession and the first passion prediction, Jesus describes following in terms of self-denial, the cross, and losing one’s life for his sake.
“If any man will come after me ... let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”
Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23
Read this saying in the chronological reader →Continue in my word
In John 8, discipleship is tied to remaining in Jesus’ teaching. The promise of knowing the truth follows that continuing relationship.
“If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
John 8:31–32
Read this saying in the chronological reader →Count the cost
Luke records unusually severe language about competing loyalties. Jesus follows it with illustrations about a tower and a king preparing for war: a disciple should understand the cost before claiming the path.
“Whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.”
Luke 14:27
Read this saying in the chronological reader →Known by love
At the Last Supper, the identity of Jesus’ disciples is not tied to status or visibility but to the love they show one another.
“By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
John 13:35
Read this saying in the chronological reader →Explore the complete collection.
Search the chronological reader for every entry using this wording and related terms.
Search the sayings →This guide groups passages by theme for study. It does not claim that every occurrence of a modern topic word is a separate doctrine or that the site’s chronology is the only possible chronology. Follow the references for the full biblical setting.